The many advantages of flexible packaging have made it the package of choice in many applications. Two prominent fields for flexible packaging are the beverage industry, for example for wines or for beverage syrups, and the pharmaceutical field. Of course, many other applications exist as well.
In general, products are filled into flexible packages and then distributed for use by customers for their particular application. The products are either filled into pre-made bags through fitments, or filled into bags as the bags are being made on form, fill, and seal machines. Often the flexible packaging is distributed in boxes, and such systems are commonly referred to as bag-in-box (“BIB”) systems. “Bag,” as used in this disclosure, is meant to include any flexible package, including, without limitation, bags, pouches, and stand-up packages.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate certain prior art bags and some of the problems associated with them. FIG. 1A shows a side view of a bag 10 that includes opposing side walls 12 and 14, and cross seams 16 and 18. Fitment 20 is used to evacuate the bag, and is formed on or through bag wall 12. As shown in FIG. 1B, the fitment 20 may be located in many places across the bag, but cannot be placed all the way to the bottom of the bag, because of the need for space for forming cross seal 18.
As seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the fitment 20 opens (inside the bag) in close proximity to the bag wall 14, thus creating a high likelihood of inefficient evacuation, since bag wall 14 may close off flow through fitment 20 by sealing against the inside of the fitment 20. To solve this problem, evacuation devices such as dipstrip 22 or fitments with standoffs, have been used to prevent such sealing off.
Even with evacuation assist devices, in use, as shown by the use-orientation of FIG. 1, the fitment 20 opens horizontally, and thus, as the bag collapses during evacuation, there can be an undesirable amount of unevacuated remnant. Moreover, turning the spout downward, with the bag remaining vertically oriented as shown in FIG. 1 generally exacerbates the problem of evacuation, rather than helping it. Finally, turning the whole bag face down, so that the fitment 20 evacuates downward, does not solve the evacuation problem, because much of the contents of the bag will be horizontally displaced from the spout and will very likely not evacuate.
Therefore, a need as arisen for methods and apparatus that eliminate or substantially reduce problems associated with prior art systems.